Here at the Living Vikasa Vidya Vanam (farm school) they do things the old-fashioned way. This is a great way for us to experience some aspects of traditional life. Since our last extended trip here 16 years ago, I am observing that lots more people have clothes washing machines, though they still line dry. We used to have a washerwoman pick up our laundry, take it down to the river and beat it on a rock. Or at least that’s the story we’d tell. We don’t know where or how they magically washed our clothes. But now we know how the clothes get washed because we’re doing it ourselves.

Take clothes to the washing area behind teachers’ quarters.

Get clothes wet then suds them with soap nut liquid, made from boiled soap nuts.